New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-30
THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE FINAL DAY.
JUDGE BARaErI's cLEAR-cUr CHARGE TO THF


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sharp entered the court room few minutes after 10
a m His footsteps were feeble. He leaned heavily
on his stick aud languidy waved fan his checks
were pale he walked though each step cost MIN
pain For had at length arrived the most eventful
day OF his fe the day which would decide whether ne
would henceiortn be regarded free man felon
and here WAS he broken down old man, with the grip
OF fatal disease pressing hard upon him. come TO lace
| it, In full view OF all who cared to see him
His lawyers came In with him. The court room quickly
filled Mr.. stckney to sum up for sharp at ten
minutes after 10 o'clock. heavy responsibility rested
upon him. He had to convince the jury that sharp
wa. not guilty ad that that proven not by evidence
advanced by defence but by the evidence advanced
by the prosecution the express purpose OF convicng
sharp Mr. stickney appeared TO feel his responsibility
kccny. lie nervous; his voice was husKy ana
scarcely audible his limbs appeared stn and his gest-
ures were awkward. lilo began with an apology that
seemed oninous lie asked the jury to pardon any dis
play Of feeling he may have shown during the proceed
ine. which he ought restrained, because IL was
the first ease the kind that ho had ever been connected
with Then he paid the usual compliments 10 tue lutei-
ligcnce OF the jury. by this time he had rcgahcd MS
composure; his voice became clear ana distlnct MS
limbs moved freely and when he reached the end OF MS
speech he had worked himself up into state OF mind
which enabled him to with all the emphasis he is
capable of his confidence that the jury would acqnlt
sharp What he contended for was practically scotch
verdict" not proven" He did not contend that the
defence had established sharp innocence OF the charge
made against him. but only that the prosecution had not
proved the charge
SOME OF MIR. sTICKNEY's ARGUMENTS.
The following ia an outline OF Mr. stickncys argument
after he had settled down to the solid business OF he
case lie said that the indictment alleged an assault by
the defendant upon the purity OF public servant inc
evidence showed nothing OF the kind. The Aldermen
knew that from public considerations they had TO vote
for some Of railroad down broadway. They com
bned among themselves and agreed that no franchise
should be given for II railroad down Broadway unless
$500 900 were paid into their private pockets fran
chlse was granted Somebody paid them money Tlat Is
all the evidence proved. No evidence had been ad-
yanced to show that that somebody was Jacob sharp
He argued that the Railroad Committee OF the Board
of Aldermen had no other option under the law ana
under the considerations which bound them to serve the
public interests than to do they did-to report in
favor OF the plan OF the Broadway Surface Company
That was the only company that was ready to go to
work at once. The Aldermen, perhaps, with unseemly
haste adopted the report and passed the resolutions
But acting the public interests they could not nave
taken any different action He would not say that thero
was no strike -; that somebody didn't get stuck But
there was no evidence that at OF the first meet
ing a McLoughlns house. when was stated that offers
OF money had been made for the franchise, any suoh
corrpt offer had been made. So far appeared from
the evidence proven only at this time that the
Aldermen had combined TO make "a strike"
The Seventh Avenue Railroad was vitality Interested In
getting control of the Broadway road At that time
Mr. sharp's interest In tho Seventh Avenue Company
was practically the market value Of the shares
his were then worth only $4,000 Those who controlled
the road were those who brought forward
by the prosecution. But they swore that they knew
nothing Of corrupt use Of the soOOooo acquired
from the Of bonds. Their interest In the ROAD was
greater than sharps Why should they be regarded as
innocent of any corrupt bargain and not Sharp There
was no evidence that dollar Of the $50o,ooo was
ever under the control Of Jacob sharp Sharp could NOT